


Hot Water

by OpalliteGlass



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, bathhouse au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 12:35:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8208241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalliteGlass/pseuds/OpalliteGlass
Summary: Keith is a bathhouse spirit and Lance is a long-term customer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ah yes, it's me Opal. Bringing you niche Voltron fics at half the cost.

"I'm gonna need you to do me a huge favor and not touch that." Keith said coldly as he waved a small music spirit away from the main heat source of the level one baths. A loud chiming sound and the small cherry-shaped being floated away, offended. Keith rolled his eyes as he went back to testing the water of the main bath, careful not to fall in. He dipped a finger into the water, his small horns glowing as he detected the minute amounts of minerals and salinity in the tub. "Needs more worm salts." He said out loud, getting up to walk towards the mineral podium. He grabbed a green vial, then returned to his sitting position by the pool, placing his finger in again and tapping salts into the water. His horns slowly changed color from blue to green as he adjusted the amount of salt. 

"What are you doing?" A sharp voice asked, causing Keith to flinch and drop the entire vial into the bath. His horns turned blood red, both in regards to the salinity of the water and his new-found anger. He composed himself before slowly turning to look at the source of the voice. A young boy was holding a towel and staring at him. The boy was human, a new allowance to the bath house. His brown hair was slightly frizzy from the humidity in the bathhouse, and his head was cocked in interest. Keith sighed.

"I was trying to adjust the mineral levels in this bath until you-"

"What does that do?" The boy interrupted. Keith hissed quietly, his anger peaking.

"It helps our guests relax and remove their stress-"

"What's in it?" The boy sat down, placing the towel in his lap. He had seen Keith's response as an invitation to ask more questions. Keith turned, laying down on the floor and reaching into the water to retrieve the vial.

"Worm salts." He said through clenched teeth. "Very powerful, very expensive mineral salts."

The boy cocked his head in the other direction.

"Are you a spirit?" He asked. Keith abandoned the vial, unable to reach it at the bottom of the incredibly deep bath. He stood up, his robes swishing elegantly.

"Yes. And I know you're a human. And probably a guest here?" The boy nodded. Keith forced a smile. "Where are your parents? I bet they'd be upset knowing you're wandering the bathhouse alone." The boy shook his head.

"They're already in the tubs. I'm with my brother." Then as if on cue, another voice sounded behind the boy. "Carlos! There you are!" A taller boy, this one much closer to Keith's age, appeared and grabbed the boy. He had the same hair and tan complexion as the smaller boy, but his frame was far more lithe and muscular. Keith blushed quickly, then dropped back to the floor and quickly groped for the vial again to mask the blood flowing to his face. "I was worried sick! Don't wander off like that! This place is dangerous!"

"I'm fine, I was with this guy here!" The little boy said. Keith looked at the wall, attempting to focus on the incredibly detailed tree painting covering it. Anything to ignore the combination of attractive guy and his annoying brother. 

"Thank you...?" The taller boy said, trailing off at a loss for Keith's name.

"Keith." He said, not looking at the boy.

"Keith. Thanks." He said, laughing quietly. "Come on, Carlos." The little boy gripped onto the older boy's hand, and they both walked away. Keith waited a brief moment before slumping into the water all the way up to his shoulder, sighing in relief.

\-----------------------------------

"He was pretty hot, if I'm gonna be honest." Keith said around a mouth full of crab. Night had fallen and the bathhouse spirits were swapping shifts for the day. Keith was stuffing his face at the cafeteria at the top of the thirty-story bathhouse, talking to his friend Pidge.

"But was he super hot, Keith? That part is crucial." Pidge replied, her gossamer wings fluttering slightly. Keith nodded, swallowing the crab.

"I'd like to say yes. But his little brother was very annoying. Made me waste an entire vial of worm salts." Pidge winced, spooning pulled beef into her own mouth.

"That's gonna hurt on the quarterly report." She said, reaching for her glass of water. The cacophony of other spirits around them served to mask their conversation. "Thank goodness you're the bathmaster of that floor or you'd be in trouble."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. It's gonna take forever to render more of those salts." He reached for his own glass, this one full of sake. He took a long gulp, his horns turning a hot purple. "Humans, man. I'm amazed we even allow them."  
Pidge shrugged, chewing loudly. "I like them. The little ones like my wings." She reached across the table with her chopsticks, expertly securing two dumplings. She plopped one on Keith's plate and shoved the other into her mouth. "Man, Hunk really went above and beyond on today's dinner." She said, struggling through her dumpling. Keith nodded, flicking his own dumpling into his mouth. He drained his sake and began pouring another glass.

"Gods, this sake is so good!" He exclaimed, slamming the pitcher down after emptying his glass again. His cheeks were turning bright red, and his horns remained a bright purple color.

"Keith, go easy. You're a lightweight." Pidge said, pouring herself a glass of sake. "Aiads can't get drunk." She rolled her eyes, taking a sip from the sake. "Lucky us." Keith waved her away, almost getting tangled in the wide sleeves of his robes.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm going to bed after this anyway." He placed his head on the table, tiredly scooping more food into his mouth. "It's too good to stop." He mumbled quietly.

Pidge sighed.

"Well in that case, have another dumpling." She tossed a dumpling at him, but his reflexes were dulled by the sake. It smacked against his face and rolled slowly into mouth. He chewed quietly.  
"So good..."

\----------------------------------------------------

Keith stumbled through the dark halls of the bathhouse. He was sure he took elevator C to his room, but he was on one of the main bath floors. The dark night stars shown through the glass ceiling, and the quieter mood of the baths at night made Keith giggle. He needed to find his room before he passed out somewhere. Even though his day off was tomorrow, that was poor form for a bathmaster. Keith staggered down the hall of folding walls, hearing the soft conversation of people in the baths. He gripped one for balance and poked his head into the room.

"Oh hey, it's you!" The boy from before was soaking, his brown hair matting to his neck. Keith groaned and rolled his eyes. 

"Ugh..." He continued stumbling, but the boy's voice stopped him.

"Wait! Come back." The boy gestured at Keith, as if beckoning him into the bath. "Come soak! It's one of those fancy worm salt baths. I figured I should pay you back for watching my brother." Keith groaned louder.

"Oh my gods are you serious??" He said to himself, angered at the role worm salts had been playing in his life lately. But nevertheless, his lessened inhibitions led to him shrugging off his robes and tossing them to the side. Effortlessly, he slide into the bath. His horns changed to a light blue color, detecting the quality of the water. The boy floated over, offering his hand.

"I'm Lance, nice to meet you formally!" Keith took it with a look of disdain, his horns turning a murky grey color. "Um... do they always do that?" Keith nodded curtly.

"Yes."

"That's pretty neat."

Keith just held his head in his hands and looked at the ceiling. "Urgh I'm so drunk..." He slumped over the side of the bath. Lance looked at him, concerned.

"Are... you okay-"

"Yes, I'm fine." Keith interrupted, his horns cycling through a variety of blues. The sake was affecting their color change ability. "Just really smashed." He giggled, causing his horns to make kaleidoscopic patterns.

"Well I'm glad you're having a good night?" Lance said, laughing a bit. "You do work here, right?"

Keith nodded. "Yuuup. Bathhouse spirit, number one!" His head plonked against the rim of the bath. "I'm pretty sure I own this floor. Not positive, though." Then a brief moment of clairity came over him. His horns snapped to their typical black color and he shook his head. "Wait... I need to get out of here. I can't be with a customer in a bath! It's not-" Lance grabbed his hand. 

"I won't tell anyone. I promise." With a quiet pinging sound, Keith's horns turned fire red, matching his face.

"Um... okay."

"Just relax. As far as anyone's concerned, we're just friends. I'll even walk you to your room afterwards." Lance reached over and pulled a large cord, signalling the bath to bubble with added heat. "Gods, I love these bubbles."


End file.
